Orlando
George Frideric Handel
Handel and Ariosto come together in one of Handel’s finest works.
Dates
Aude Extremo | Orlando
Ana Maria Labin | Angelica
Yuriy Mynenko | Medoro
Alina Wunderlin | Dorinda
Edward Jowle | Zoroastro
Les Musiciens du Louvre
Marc Minkowski | direction
About
Orlando is the only one of Handel’s so-called “magic” operas to feature a wizard, Zoroastro, rather than a sorceress, in what is possibly the finest role for a bass in the musician’s entre operatic catalogue. This is not the only striking feature of this score, which is exceptional in every respect – in its construction, melodic richness, orchestra, the power of the recitative, and in its beautifully expressive arias and bravura set pieces. The libretto of Ariosto’s Orlando furioso inspired Handel to create one of his finest scores, notably the trio at the end of Act I and the major scene of Orlando’s madness at the end of Act II.
Production Théâtre des Champs-Élysées